Description: The Meaning of Metallica by William Irwin The Meaning of Metallica provides a close reading of lyrics dense with details and rich with allusions. This indispensable guide will heighten the appreciation of long-time fans and new recruits. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description The first book to give Metallicas lyrics the care and contemplation they deserve More than 40 years since their formation, and 125 million albums later, Metallica is as relevant as ever. Much has been written about the band, but The Meaning of Metallica is the first book to focus exclusively on their lyrics. Their mighty guitar riffs and pounding drums are legendary, but Metallicas words match the intensity of their tunes. Lead singer James Hetfield writes rock poetry dealing with death, war, addiction, alienation, corruption, freedom, religion, and other weighty topics. Painting a rainbow of emotions with a deft palette, subtle but not obscure, Hetfields lyrics deserve careful attention. A master of narrative, Metallica makes listeners care about a vast array of characters, from a vengeful God, to a suicidal teenager, to a man in mid-life crisis. The Meaning of Metallica is like a riveting conversation with a close friend. A thematic tour de force that traces Hetfields lyrical development across the decades, this companion examines everything from deep cuts like Confusion to megahits like Enter Sandman. Sure to spark debate and discussion, The Meaning of Metallica provides a close reading of lyrics dense with details and rich with allusions. Author Biography William Irwin is a philosophy professor, literary critic, and heavy metal scholar who teaches at Kings College in Pennsylvania. The books in his pop culture series, including Metallica and Philosophy, Seinfeld and Philosophy, The Simpsons and Philosophy, and The Matrix and Philosophy (a New York Times bestseller) have sold over one million copies. Review "Though this is directed at those familiar with Metallica, there is much to ponder here, even for those who arent metalheads. The spiritual, philosophical, and psychological musings will provoke debate and reward serious readers." -- Library Journal"William Irwin has established himself as a brilliant philosopher and unrivaled expert on all things Metallica. With The Meaning of Metallica, he combines his discipline with his passion to take readers on, as advertised, a rollicking and fascinating ride. The brilliant and substantive, but never pretentious or discursive, observations and interpretations of Metallicas songs inspire sustained reflection, provoking the reader to reconsider "the struggle within" in relation to Metallicas magnificent body of work. The Meaning of Metallica deepens ones understanding of Metallicas music, but most impressively, enhances the enjoyment of it." -- David Masciotra, author of the 33 1/3 book Metallica by Metallica"An essential read ... The Meaning Of Metallica: Ride The Lyrics will provide you with well thought out and articulated meanings behind some of their biggest songs as well as some of their deepest cuts." -- MetalTalk"It has been a profound experience to witness James Hetfields trajectory as a lyric writer over the last 40 years. From the fantastically primitive sentiments on Kill Em All, via the poetic examinations of social ills on Master of Puppets, to the more questioning approach of his recent work, he has exposed his deepest issues and concerns in a way that always engrosses the listener." -- Joel McIver, author of To Live Is to Die: The Life And Death Of Metallicas Cliff Burton"James Hetfield -- a.k.a. Papa Het -- is the ultimate poet of rage. Ive always admired Hetfields lyricism and message: taking on the dark side of life and turning it into a positive outlook. I cut my hair to get a copy of Ride the Lightning and never looked back: Ive been a fan ever since. Mixing H.P. Lovecraft with social commentary made Hetfield the voice of our generation. Much respect." -- Max Cavalera, Soulfly Long Description The first book to give Metallicas lyrics the care and contemplation they deserve More than 40 years since their formation, and 125 million albums later, Metallica is as relevant as ever. Much has been written about the band, but The Meaning of Metallica is the first book to focus exclusively on their lyrics. Their mighty guitar riffs and pounding drums are legendary, but Metallicas words match the intensity of their tunes. Lead singer James Hetfield writes rock poetry dealing with death, war, addiction, alienation, corruption, freedom, religion, and other weighty topics. Painting a rainbow of emotions with a deft palette, subtle but not obscure, Hetfields lyrics deserve careful attention. A master of narrative, Metallica makes listeners care about a vast array of characters, from a vengeful God, to a suicidal teenager, to a man in mid-life crisis. The Meaning of Metallica is like a riveting conversation with a close friend. A thematic tour de force that traces Hetfields lyrical development across the decades, this companion examines everything from deep cuts like Confusion to megahits like Enter Sandman. Sure to spark debate and discussion, The Meaning of Metallica provides a close reading of lyrics dense with details and rich with allusions. Review Quote "William Irwin has established himself as a brilliant philosopher and unrivaled expert on all things Metallica. With The Meaning of Metallica , he combines his discipline with his passion to take readers on, as advertised, a rollicking and fascinating ride. The brilliant and substantive, but never pretentious or discursive, observations and interpretations of Metallicas songs inspire sustained reflection, provoking the reader to reconsider "the struggle within" in relation to Metallicas magnificent body of work. The Meaning of Metallica deepens ones understanding of Metallicas music, but most impressively, enhances the enjoyment of it." -- David Masciotra, author of the 33 1/3 book Metallica by Metallica Excerpt from Book Introduction The Ecstasy of Gold In 1984 my friend Joe taped his Ride the Lightning LP for me. In 1986 I saw Cliff Burton play live. In 1987 I paid $5.98 for The $5.98 EP . In 1994 I reluctantly cut my Metalli-mullet. Those are my fan credentials. You may go back further with Metallica, or you may have found the band more recently. Metallica fans like to claim OG status, but it doesnt really matter. What matters is what Metallica has meant to you. I wasnt there from the beginning with Metallica, but they were there from the beginning for me--the beginning of my struggle within. I am now 51 years old, and Metallica has provided the soundtrack of my life since I was 14. But this book is not about me. Its not even about what Metallica has meant to me. This book is about the lyrics of James Hetfield. Some fans focus on the music and dont pay much attention to the words. Im not one of them. Fans like me believe Hetfields lyrics are worthy of the same attention that Bob Dylans receive. As a folk singer, Dylan was recognized as a serious writer from the beginning of his career. By contrast, as a metal musician, Hetfield has not yet received his due for the profundity of his lyrics. This book aims to remedy that situation. Metal fans know that our favorite music provides plenty of food for thought. Yes, the worst of the genre is mindless noise, made merely for commercial gain, but that is true of nearly any genre. More than 80% of popular recordings concern romance, and most are trite. Hetfields lyrics stand in stark contrast, dealing with death, war, addiction, alienation, corruption, freedom, religion, and other weighty topics. In the few songs that focus on love, Hetfield gives us much more than sweet "Cherry Pie." Most popular music is just entertainment, something to dance to, something to party with. Metallicas music is real art, something to experience, something to contemplate. Its bold to claim that this book is about the meaning of Metallica. For one thing, the book focuses on Hetfields lyrics. Meanwhile, the music may have its own meaning beyond, or in addition to, the words. For another thing, Metallica is a cultural phenomenon that transcends their music. It means something to be a Metallica fan, to be devoted to the band, to have an opinion on the controversies, to feel a sense of community with other fans. This book does not attempt to do justice to that kind of meaning. Perhaps most importantly, Hetfields lyrics mean something different to different people. For each of us who have listened closely and thought deeply, the lyrics have distinct personal significance. That kind of individual relevance is priceless, but it doesnt always translate well when talking to other people. So, this is not a book about what Hetfields lyrics mean "to me." Occasionally, I include a personal reference, but only when it helps to paint the bigger picture of what a particular song is about. Likewise, occasionally I discuss how the music reinforces the lyrics. Description for Sales People Sales and Market Bullets Metallica is often referred to as the "thinking mans" metal band and James Hetfield wrote lyrics that qualify as rock poetry. "The most elucidative dissertation on Metallica ever written. And a kick-ass read to boot!!!" -- Scott Ian, guitarist for Anthrax, on Metallica and Philosophy Sure to spark discussion and debate, this book provides a close reading of lyrics dense with details and rich with allusions. The Metallica group on Reddit has 67.8k members. The top Metallica songs on Genius Lyrics have more than 3 million combined contributions to conversation threads about the song lyrics. In the last 5 years, Metallica has performed in Germany, Poland, Austria, Romania, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, USA, France, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Czechia, Italy Metallica will go on a World Tour in 2022 and will visit: Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Brazil, Chile, Argentina Audience Metallica fans Music academics Younger pop culture junkies and politically aware millennials (25-35) Readers of Rolling Stone , Spin Readers of Wileys "and Philosophy" series Details ISBN1770416188 Author William Irwin Short Title The Meaning of Metallica Pages 240 Language English Year 2022 ISBN-10 1770416188 ISBN-13 9781770416185 Format Paperback Subtitle Ride the Lyrics Country of Publication Canada Publisher ECW Press,Canada Imprint ECW Press,Canada Place of Publication Montreal UK Release Date 2022-05-19 DEWEY 782.42166092 Audience General AU Release Date 2022-04-30 Publication Date 2022-05-19 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. 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Book Title: The Meaning of Metallica
ISBN: 9781770416185